Why is it so hard to understand or believe that what people are “hearing” about Islam on daily basis in the news is the truth?

I am used to people questioning me about Islam, Sharia and terrorism. But this week I had an unbelievable exchange with someone that really made me take a step back and wonder why so many don’t believe or care that Islam is a danger to us all. I was speaking to a woman in her 60s, someone of above average intelligence and who is well read and educated. I have known her for 15 years. This is not an ignorant person.

The two of us were in a local shopping center and I made a comment about Islam as a group of devout Muslim women walked by. They were dressed in traditional Muslim garb, the hijab (head scarves), the robes, the whole nine yards. I honestly don’t even remember what I said that started the conversation. Regardless, she looked at me and asked, “why do you dislike Muslims so much? You can’t believe everything people say.” Understand, I am not one who is ever at a loss for words. When I hear anyone mention anything about the subject, out comes my soapbox and you can’t shut me up. This time I was astonished. All I could say was “WHAT?” She said to me, “People say things all the time; you can’t believe it all. People say things about the Jews, like they run the country and the media, and they have all the money, do you like that?” Needless to say, at this point my jaw was on the floor. From this point I started listing things from the Koran, from Sharia law, from recent happenings right here in our own country and our own backyard. When I was finished she amazed me with the same statement: Yyou can’t believe everything people say.”

What is going on? Is this where we are as a country? What is it going to take for people to wake up and understand the truth, another attack on America? Why is it so hard to understand or believe that what people are “hearing” about Islam on daily basis in the news is the truth? Could it be that maybe they just don’t care, or worse, as I began to realize that because of the way we as a country have handled everything since 9/11, they have no reason to believe it? Maybe they just don’t care because we’ve never given them a reason to care about it.

Fifteen thousand and ninety deadly terrorist attacks have been perpetrated by Islamic terrorists since 9/11.That was at the time I wrote this, by the time you read this that number is liable to increase. During the week of March 2oth to March 26th, there were 31 terror incidents in the name of Jihad with a total of 124 innocent people murdered and 158 critically wounded. That was just this past week! Thank God that it doesn’t happen here in the U.S. on a daily basis, but what about the over 60 names of terrorists arrested right here in America that I listed in my last article “Ignoring him could be catastrophic,” what about the fact there are 35 known terror training camps right here on our own soil? Did we already forget about Maj. Hassan and Fort Hood, the dozens of women and girls killed in so called “honor killings” all right here in America? Does any of this sound like rumor?

I was so proud of my country after 9/11; I couldn’t go to my own mailbox without seeing flags up and down the street, out on the roads every car had a flag on it. America had come together and more importantly stood together.

On December 7,, 1941 the U.S. Navy was in shambles, the Pacific Fleet was gone, to put it in to perspective I will list what was done, because American did the impossible. The USS West Virginia (BB-48) which had been sunk, was raised, repaired and rejoined the fleet in July 1944, the USS California (BB-44) was also sunk, was later raised, repaired and rejoined the fleet in May 1944, the USS Nevada (BB-36) was heavily damaged, grounded, repaired and rejoined the fleet in December 1942, the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) was slightly damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet August in 1942, the USS Maryland (BB-46) was damaged, repaired and rejoined fleet in February 1942, the USS Tennessee (BB-43) was damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet in March 1942, the USS Helena (CL-50) was heavily damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet in June 1942, the USS Honolulu (CL-48) was damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet in January 1942, USS Raleigh (CL-7) was heavily damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet in July 1942, the USS Cassin (DD-372) was heavily damaged, rebuilt and rejoined the fleet in February 1944, the USS Downes (DD-375) was also heavily damaged rebuilt and rejoined the fleet in November 1943, the USS Helm (DD-388) was damaged, continued on patrol, repaired and rejoined the fleet in January 1942, the USS Shaw (DD-373) was severely damaged and repaired, the USS Oglala (CM-4) was sunk, raised, repaired and rejoined the fleet in February 1944, the Seaplane Tender - USS Curtiss (AV-4) was damaged, repaired and rejoined the fleet in January 1942, the Harbor Tug - USS Sotoyomo (YT-9) and the USS Shaw (DD-373) were sunk, raised, repaired and rejoined the fleet in August 1942, the USS Vestal (AR-4) was heavily damaged, beached, refloated, repaired and rejoined the fleet in February 1942 and YFD-2 was sunk, raised, refloated, repaired and rejoined the fleet in May 1942.

The reason I bring this up is to point out how Americans have always overcome adversity even more so when the odds were against them. Inside of a few months America managed to rebuild an entire fleet of ships that had been damaged or even sunk, basically achieving the impossible, yet almost nine years after 9/11, the memorial for those lost in New York is still being contended as to the best way to having it built. Is it any wonder that most Americans are lackadaisical about Islam in America? Could it be the lack of motivation from our government that puts us in a mindset of having a false sense of security when we are far from being secure?

Maybe if those responsible for the 9/11 memorial would get off their bureaucratic butts and put forth the effort in to finishing it with the same tenacity that our WWII vets had in rebuilding the ships lost at Pearl Harbor, remembered what and who it was for, and gave it the importance that it deserves, fewer people in this country would be saying “you can’t believe everything you hear.”

Or, we could just continue to take our time and soon it will be another footnote in history along with that other thing that so many doubt ever happened, you know, like that thing that Hitler did – what was it again?